Apple employees seek flexible approach for return to office

After Apple asked employees to return to office three days a week starting early September, the workers have pushed back against the new return-to-office policy, saying they want a flexible approach where those who want to work remotely are allowed to do so.

In an email sent to employees earlier this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that most workers will be asked to come in to the office on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the option of working remotely on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Apple teams that need to work in-person will join office for four-five days a week.

According to The Verge, Apple employees have pushed back against this policy.

"We would like to take the opportunity to communicate a growing concern among our colleagues. That Apple's remote/location-flexible work policy, and the communication around it, have already forced some of our colleagues to quit," read the letter by Apple employees.

"Without the inclusivity that flexibility brings, many of us feel we have to choose between either a combination of our families, our well-being, and being empowered to do our best work, or being a part of Apple," the letter read.

Cook, however, had said that Apple employees also have the chance to work remotely for up to two weeks a year, "to be closer to family and loved ones, find a change of scenery, manage unexpected travel, or a different reason all your own".

He also encouraged all employees to get vaccinated.

The employees, said in the letter that "over the last year we often felt not just unheard, but at times actively ignored".

"We've come to look forward to working as we are now, without the daily need to return to the office. It feels like there is a disconnect between how the executive team thinks about remote / location-flexible work and the lived experiences of many of Apple's employees," they argued.

The employees have requested that Apple considers remote and location-flexible work decisions to be as autonomous for a team to decide as are hiring decisions.

"We are formally requesting a company-wide recurring short survey with a clearly structured and transparent communication / feedback process at the company-wide level, organisation-wide level, and team-wide level," they said.